“Either you want Carmelo or you say no. I just thought we’re never going to get another chance to get him.”

Walsh said he has no regrets about his tenure as the Knicks’ general manager. He shouldn’t. The Knicks were a franchise without leadership before he got here. The salary cap was a mess and there was little hope for change. Now the Knicks are 7-1 and looking like a team that could realistically contend for a championship.

“I didn’t know he was here,” Felton said. “I got to see my man before I leave.”

“I’m really happy for the fans because during the years when we were breaking the team up, we went through two years that we were going to lose,” Walsh said. “So I’m glad that they can come in now and say, ‘Wow, this team could be really good,’ because I think they will be.”

Current GM Glen Grunwald signed Tyson Chandler and assembled this year’s roster. But Walsh deserves part of the credit for where the franchise is now. Felton just wanted to hug him and tell him so.